After becoming the first Philippine-born player to be drafted in the NBA Developmental-League, the 6’10” Western Kentucky alum was included in the seventeen-man training camp roster released Thursday on the website of the Santa Cruz Warriors. He was their 7th round selection in the 2012 D-League draft.

The team formerly known as the Dakota Wizards managed to keep six out of their eight D-League draftees, including Japeth. The crown jewel of their draft class is the slam-dunking sensation Travis Leslie. The 6’4 guard from Georgia had been waived by the Los Angeles Clippers before the season started. The remaining two draftees were used as trade chips to bring in a couple of players, Harouna Mutombo from the Idaho Stampede was acquired in exchange for Durrell Summers, while Faisal Aden was sent to the Texas Legends for Dominique Johnson.

The other trade acquisitions by Santa Cruz were D-League All-Rookie team member Cameron Jones (from Fort Wayne Mad Ants) and big man Chris Daniels (from Erie Bayhawks). The remaining newcomers (Carlon Brown, Lance Goulbourne and Rick Jackson) came from the training camp roster cuts of the Golden State Warriors (whom Santa Cruz serves as a single affiliate) as well as a direct invitation from their open tryouts (Daniel Nwaelele).

They will join holdovers Taylor Griffin, Justin Johnson and reigning D-League Defensive Player of the Year Stefhon Hannah.

From the 17-man lineup, the Nate Bjorkgren-coached roster will be whittled down to ten players (can be up to twelve including NBA assignments) at the start of the season, which begins on November 23. Santa Cruz’s regular season will not begin until November 30, where they visit Reno. Before that, they have a couple of preseason games, on November 17 against Tulsa and November 18 against Texas.